Trampoline

We got the kids a trampoline for Christmas this year.  Cari was on me for the two weeks leading up to Christmas to go work on starting the assembly, but I ignored her request.

It wouldn't be that hard to build a trampoline, and it will be harder to hide a half built one for several weeks.  My plan would be to build the thing in the two days prior to Christmas.

Like all good plans, some other things started happening in the week leading up to Christmas and time was running short.  Cari was getting more and more frustrated by the day.  She feared that I would be out there the night of Christmas Eve, in the cold, in the rain, until two in the morning, and that I would make her help!  Instead of freaking out, I went in and got a glass of sweet tea.  

During the afternoon on Christmas Eve Amanda, Cari, and I all went into the backyard while the kids were playing across the street.  I figured this project would take between an hour and a half and two hours.  The three of us built the trampoline and the enclosure within my time limit to Cari's surprise.  After a few minutes of us jumping on it, we stashed behind my building against the back of the house. 

It was raining Christmas morning, and it was around six in the morning when we started ripping into our presents.  Because of the rain, we didn't mention the trampoline to the kids.  Anyway, they were distracted enough with all the Christmas goodies that had flooded our living room.    

Somewhere around ten or eleven Randy asked if it was clear enough to play outside.  I suggested they look outside and see what they thought.  Of course, we followed them to the door to see their reaction.  

Randy turned around after opening the door, "When did we get a trampoline?"   Getting them the trampoline and keeping it a surprise went perfectly.  We've all had fun jumping on it, even Cari, who still believe's it wouldn't be built had she left it up to me.